KR102342601B1 - Refrigerator with tandem reservoir and/or removable dispenser recess - Google Patents

Abstract

Refrigerators in some cases use ice makers with bins in a tandem arrangement. The first reservoir contains reversible ice that receives ice produced by the ice machine and supplies the ice dispenser when actuated in a first direction and to a second reservoir disposed below the first reservoir when actuated in a second direction. including mobile. The refrigerator may also include, in another aspect, an externally accessible ice dispenser having a dispenser recess that may be detached from the refrigerator when the door of the refrigerator is closed, for example to access the ice reservoir.

Description

Refrigerator with tandem reservoir and/or removable dispenser recess

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15/836,035, filed December 8, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application relates to a refrigerator ice making system having a tandem bin and/or a removable dispenser recess.

Home refrigerators generally include both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment, the former being kept above the freezing temperature for storing fresh food and liquids, and the latter being kept below the freezing temperature for long-term storage of frozen foods. Over the years, most refrigerators have fallen into one of two categories. For example, a top-mount refrigerator includes a freezer compartment near the top of the refrigerator, and can be accessed through an external door separate from the fresh food compartment external door or through an internal fresh food compartment door. On the other hand, in a double door refrigerator, the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment are arranged side by side and extend along most of the height of the refrigerator.

A door-mounted ice dispenser (usually combined with a water dispenser) is a common convenience feature of many of these home refrigerators. Since it is possible to mount such a dispenser on the outer door of the freezer at a position convenient for the user and at a location suitable for receiving ice produced by an ice maker normally mounted in the freezer, such features can be incorporated into top-mount and double-door refrigerators. Combining it was usually not complicated.

Recently, however, various types of bottom-mounted refrigerator designs have become popular with consumers. Bottom-mount refrigerators place the freezer compartment below the fresh food compartment and near the bottom of the refrigerator. For most people, the fresh food compartment is accessed more frequently than the freezer compartment, so many items a user accesses every day will be accessible at a user-friendly height. Some bottom-mount refrigerators have a single door for each of the fresh food compartment and freezer compartment, while other designs, commonly referred to as "French door" refrigerators, include a pair of double doors for the fresh food compartment. Some designs use sliding doors instead of hinged doors for the freezer compartment, and some designs use multiple doors for the freezer compartment.

However, if the freezer is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator, all freezer doors are usually too low for a door-mounted ice dispenser, and installing an ice dispenser on a fresh food room door would make the ice dispenser incompatible with a fresh food room that is higher than the freezing temperature. It complicates the design of the door-mounted ice dispenser. Most ice dispensers rely, at least in part, on gravity to transport ice from the ice machine mold to the reservoir and/or from the reservoir to the exit chute of the ice dispenser. Therefore, it is generally desirable to place the ice at a higher elevation than the ice dispenser.

Also, while bottom-mounted refrigerators typically provide a relatively large fresh food compartment that spans the entire width of the refrigerator, access may be difficult for some food held by shelves and/or bins, especially when a lot of food is stored in the refrigerator. have.

Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the related art for an improved way to provide an externally accessible ice dispenser, particularly in a bottom-mounted refrigerator, and to conveniently access food stored in the refrigerator.

Embodiments described herein address these and other problems associated with the present technology by, in one aspect, providing a refrigerator utilizing an ice maker having a reservoir in a tandem arrangement. The first reservoir contains reversible ice that receives ice produced by the ice machine and supplies the ice dispenser when actuated in a first direction and to a second reservoir disposed below the first reservoir when actuated in a second direction. including mobile. Further, embodiments described herein include, in another aspect, an externally accessible ice dispenser having a dispenser recess detachable from the refrigerator for the purpose of accessing an ice reservoir, eg, when the door of the refrigerator is closed. By providing a refrigerator that does, these and other problems in the art are solved.

Accordingly, according to one aspect of the present invention, the refrigerator includes: a cabinet; an ice maker disposed within the cabinet; a first reservoir disposed below the ice machine and configured to receive ice generated by the ice machine; a reversible ice mover disposed within the first reservoir and operable to move ice in a first direction and a second direction within the first reservoir; an ice dispenser configured to dispense ice disposed within the first reservoir, the ice dispenser configured to receive ice moved in a first direction by a reversible ice mover; and a second reservoir disposed below the first reservoir and configured to receive ice that is in the first reservoir and is moved in a second direction by the reversible ice mover.

In some embodiments, the reversible ice mover comprises an auger or conveyor. Further, in some embodiments, the first reservoir includes an opening disposed proximate an opposite end of the first reservoir from the ice dispenser such that ice moved in the second direction by the reversible ice mover falls into the second reservoir. Also, in some embodiments, the opening is disposed in the bottom wall, side wall, or end wall of the first reservoir.

In some embodiments, the ice machine extends generally from front to rear within the cabinet, the ice dispenser is disposed at the front of the refrigerator, and the reversible ice mover moves the ice in a generally forward direction when moving ice with the ice dispenser; When moving ice to the reservoir, it is usually moved in a backward direction.

Also, in some embodiments, the first and second reservoirs are removable. In some embodiments, the second reservoir includes an ice bucket disposed within and detachable from the second reservoir. Also, in some embodiments, the ice bucket includes at least one handle. Also, in some embodiments, the first and second reservoirs are separable in a sliding manner. Some embodiments also further include at least one stop configured to limit removal of the first reservoir beyond the rest position, the first reservoir configured to provide unobstructed access to the ice maker and the reversible ice mover.

Some embodiments further include a controller coupled to the reversible ice mover and a first level sensor configured to sense a level of ice in the first reservoir, wherein the ice maker is positioned to drop ice into an intermediate region of the first reservoir, the controller comprising: when the first level sensor detects that the first reservoir is not full, actuates the reversible ice mover to move the ice that has fallen to the middle region of the first reservoir in a first direction toward the ice dispenser; When the first level sensor detects the full state of the first reservoir, the reversible ice mover is operated to move the ice in the first reservoir toward the second reservoir in the second direction. Some embodiments also include a second level sensor configured to sense a level of ice in the second reservoir, wherein the controller has the first and second level sensors to detect a full state of the first and second reservoirs. It is configured to suppress the discharge of ice by the ice maker when.

In addition, some embodiments include a freezer compartment disposed in a cabinet; a fresh food compartment disposed above the freezer compartment in the cabinet and having a ceiling wall, a floor wall, and first and second side walls, the floor wall separating the fresh food compartment from the freezer compartment; and an ice-making console extending upward from the floor wall of the fresh food room by only a portion of the height of the fresh food room, and spaced apart from each of the ceiling wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall. at least one wall to insulate; wherein the ice machine, the first reservoir, the second reservoir and the reversible sound mover are disposed within the ice-making console.

In some embodiments, the ice dispenser is disposed in front of the ice making console. Also, in some embodiments, the first portion of the ice maker is disposed on the front side of the first reservoir and the second portion of the ice machine is disposed on the front side of the second reservoir. In addition, some embodiments may further include a dispenser control unit disposed on the front of the second reservoir. Some embodiments may further include a dispenser disconnect circuit configured to deactivate the ice dispenser in response to movement of the second reservoir away from the actuated position. Further, some embodiments further include a controller and a user control to actuate the ice dispenser, and the dispenser shut-off circuitry may include at least one switch to disconnect the user control from the controller when the second reservoir is moved away from the actuated position. have. Also, in some embodiments, the switch is a contact switch or a magnetic switch.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cabinet comprising at least one food compartment; one or more doors coupled to the cabinet and configured to provide access to the one or more food compartments; an ice maker disposed within the cabinet; and an externally accessible ice dispenser configured to dispense ice produced by the ice maker when the one or more doors are closed, the externally accessible ice dispenser comprising a dispenser recess configured to receive a container, the container comprising: The ice is dispensed and the dispenser recess is removably mounted within the cabinet to be disengaged from the cabinet when one or more doors are closed.

Also, in some embodiments, the dispenser recess is slidably mounted within the cabinet. Some embodiments may further include an externally accessible water dispenser coupled to the water supply and arranged to dispense water through the outlet and into a container located below the outlet when the one or more doors are closed. Further, in some embodiments, the outlet of the externally accessible water dispenser is fixedly mounted to the cabinet such that the outlet of the externally accessible water dispenser remains in a fixed position of the cabinet when the dispenser recess is separated from the cabinet.

Also, in some embodiments, the externally accessible water dispenser includes a user control configured to actuate the externally accessible water dispenser. In some embodiments, the user control of the externally accessible water dispenser is removably mounted within the cabinet. Also, in some embodiments, the externally accessible ice dispenser includes a user control configured to actuate the externally accessible ice dispenser. In some embodiments, the user control of the externally accessible ice dispenser is mounted on the dispenser recess and detachable from the cabinet together with the dispenser recess. Also, in some embodiments, the user controls include paddles.

Some embodiments may further include a dispenser shut-off circuit configured to deactivate the externally accessible ice dispenser in response to disengagement of the dispenser recess from the cabinet. Some embodiments may further include a controller, wherein the dispenser disconnect circuit includes at least one contact switch that disconnects the user control from the controller when the dispenser recess is disconnected from the cabinet.

Further, some embodiments may further include a reservoir disposed below the ice maker and configured to receive ice produced by the ice maker, the dispenser recess coupled to the reservoir such that detaching the dispenser recess from the cabinet removes the reservoir from the cabinet. additionally separated. Also, in some embodiments, the reservoir is a second reservoir, and the refrigerator includes: a first reservoir disposed above and below the ice maker to receive ice produced by the ice maker; an ice chute disposed over the dispenser recess; and an ice mover disposed within the first reservoir and operable to move the ice in the first reservoir to the ice chute when dispensing the ice.

In some embodiments, the ice mover is reversibly operable to move ice in first and second directions within the first reservoir, wherein movement of the ice mover in the first direction moves the ice into the ice chute, and The movement of the ice mover in two directions drops the ice from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. Also, in some embodiments, the first reservoir is slidably mounted within the cabinet to be withdrawn from the cabinet when one or more doors are closed.

Further, in some embodiments, the one or more food compartments include a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment, the fresh food compartment being disposed above the freezer compartment in the cabinet and having a ceiling wall, a floor wall, and first and second side walls, the bottom wall comprising: separate the fresh food compartment from the freezer compartment; The refrigerator further includes an ice-making console that extends upward from a floor wall of the fresh food compartment only by a portion of a height of the fresh food compartment and is spaced apart from each of the ceiling wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall, the ice-making console being the inner chamber of the ice-making console an ice machine, an externally accessible ice dispenser, and a dispenser recess disposed within the ice making console.

These and other advantages and features that characterize the present invention are set forth in the claims appended hereto and form another part of the present invention. However, for a better understanding of the present invention and the advantages and objects achieved through its use, reference should be made to the drawings and the accompanying description in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention are set forth. This Summary is provided merely to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description below, and is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed invention, nor is it intended to limit the protection scope of the claimed invention. .

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to some embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary control system for the refrigerator of FIG. 1 ;
3 is a front view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 with the fresh food room door open.
4 is an exploded perspective view of an ice-making console for the refrigerator of FIG. 1 .
5 is a perspective view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 , in which the fresh food compartment door is separated and the storage bin is completely withdrawn.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 , in which the fresh food compartment door is separated and the full-width shelf is in a fully drawn out position.
FIG. 7 is a functional top view of an alternative full width shelf support to that shown in FIG. 6 ;
FIG. 8 is a functional plan view of an alternative full width shelf support other than that shown in FIG. 6 ;
9 is a functional front view illustrating a top-mounted refrigerator using an ice-making console according to some embodiments of the present invention.
10 is a functional front view illustrating a bottom-mounted refrigerator using an ice-making console covered by a fresh food compartment door according to some embodiments of the present invention.
11 is a functional front view illustrating a bottom-mounted refrigerator using an ice-making console that is further extended into a freezing compartment according to some embodiments of the present invention.
12 is a side cross-sectional view of an ice making console in the refrigerator of FIG. 1 .
13 is a perspective cross-sectional view of an ice making console in the refrigerator of FIG. 1 .
14 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the ice-making console of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 with upper and lower ice reservoirs pulled to an open position;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an alternative lower ice reservoir other than that shown in FIG. 4 ;
16 is a flowchart illustrating a series of operations for making ice in the refrigerator of FIG. 1 .

Referring to the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts throughout the drawings, and FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary refrigerator 10 in which various techniques and techniques described herein may be implemented. The refrigerator 10 is a household refrigerator and includes a cabinet or case 12, a fresh food compartment 14, a freezer compartment 16, one or more fresh food compartment doors 18 and 20, and one or more freezer compartment doors 22 and 24. include

The fresh food compartment 14 is generally maintained at a temperature above its freezing point for storing fresh food such as produce, beverages, eggs, condiments, lunches, cheese, and the like. Various shelves, drawers and/or sub-compartments may be provided within fresh food compartment 14 for organizing food, and some refrigerator designs may be used to optimize environmental conditions for different types of food. It will be appreciated that it may include multiple fresh food rooms and/or areas maintained at different temperatures and/or different humidity. Freezer compartment 16 is generally maintained below freezing temperatures for long-term storage of frozen food, and may include various shelves, drawers and/or sub-compartments for organizing food.

The refrigerator 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a type of bottom-mounted refrigerator generally referred to as a French door refrigerator, and a pair of double-door type refrigerators hinged on the left and right sides to provide a wide opening for access to the fresh food room. a fresh food compartment door (18, 20), and a pair of sliding freezer doors (22, 24) of a drawer-like pull to provide access to items in the freezer. The fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment may be considered full width as they run substantially across the entire width of the cabinet 12 . However, in other embodiments, other doors (e.g., a pair of French freezer doors, a single sliding freezer door or one It should be understood that hinged fresh food and/or freezer doors) may also be used. Further, the refrigerator 10 is a bottom-mount refrigerator having a freezer compartment 16 disposed below the fresh food compartment 14, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and in other embodiments, the principle is related to other types of refrigerators. and technology may be used, for example, top mount refrigerators, side-by-side refrigerators, and the like.

The refrigerator 10 also includes a cabinet mounted dispenser 26 for dispensing ice and/or water. In the illustrated embodiment, dispenser 26 is an ice and water dispenser capable of dispensing both ice and cold water, and in other embodiments, dispenser 26 is an ice-only dispenser for dispensing cubes and/or crushed ice only. can be In yet another embodiment, the dispenser 26 may further dispense hot water, coffee, beverages or other liquids, and may have variable and/or quick dispensing capabilities. In some cases, the ice and water may be dispensed from the same location, while in other cases separate locations within the dispenser may be provided for dispensing the ice and water.

A refrigerator according to the present invention also generally includes one or more controllers configured to control the refrigeration system as well as manage interactions with the user. For example, FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator 10 that includes a controller 40 that receives input from a plurality of components and drives the plurality of components in response. The controller 40 may include, for example, one or more processors 42 and a memory 44 in which program code for execution by the one or more processors may be stored. Memory may be embodied in controller 40 , but may be volatile and/or volatile and/or memory storage located physically different from controller 40 , such as in a mass storage device or on a remote computer interfaced with controller 40 . It is also contemplated to include non-volatile memory, cache memory, flash memory, programmable read-only memory, read-only memory, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the controller 40 includes a cooling or refrigeration system 46 , an ice and water system 48 , and one or more user controls 50 (eg, switches, knobs) for receiving user input. , buttons, sliders, various combinations of touch screen or touch-sensitive displays, microphones or audio input devices, imaging devices, etc.), and one or more user displays 52 (including various indicators, graphic displays, text displays, speakers, etc.) as well as various additional components suitable for use in a refrigerator, such as, for example, interior and/or exterior lighting 54 , among others. User controls and/or user displays 50 , 52 may be disposed on one or more control panels disposed on the interior and/or doors and/or other exterior surfaces of the refrigerator, for example. Additionally, in some embodiments, audio feedback may be provided to the user via one or more speakers, and in some embodiments, user input may be received via a voice or gesture-based interface. Additional user controls may be provided elsewhere in the refrigerator 10 , for example in the fresh food compartment and/or the freezer compartment 14 , 16 . In addition, the refrigerator 10 may be controlled remotely via a smart phone, tablet, personal digital assistant, or other network computing device using, for example, a web interface or a dedicated app.

The controller 40 may also interface with various sensors 56 , eg, one or more temperature sensors, humidity sensors, etc., disposed to sense environmental conditions inside and/or outside the refrigerator 10 . These sensors may be inside or outside the refrigerator 10 , and in some embodiments may be wirelessly connected to the controller 40 . Sensor 56 may also include additional types of sensors, such as door switches, switches that detect when a portion of the ice dispenser is disconnected, and other status sensors, as will become more apparent below.

In some embodiments, controller 40 may also include wired and/or wireless networks, such as, for example, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, cellular, and other suitable networks (collectively designated 60 in FIG. 2 ). may be connected to one or more network interfaces 58 to interface with external devices via Network 60 may include a home automation network in some embodiments, and various communication protocols may be supported, including various types of home automation communication protocols. In other embodiments, other wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth may be used.

In some embodiments, the refrigerator 10 may interface with one or more user devices 62 , eg, a computer, tablet, smart phone, wearable device, etc., via the network 60 , through which the refrigerator 10 is controlled and/or the refrigerator 10 may provide feedback to the user.

In some embodiments, controller 40 may operate under the control of an operating system and may execute or depend on various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, and the like. In addition, the controller 40 may include hardware logic to implement some or all of the functions disclosed herein. Further, in some embodiments, the sequence of operations performed by the controller 40 to implement the embodiments disclosed herein resides at various times in various memories and storage devices and is read by one or more hardware-based processors and It may be implemented using program code comprising one or more instructions that, when executed, perform operations that implement desired functions. Moreover, in some embodiments, such program code may be distributed as a program product in various forms, and the present invention includes, for example, non-transitory computer readable media, including, but not limited to, certain types of computer readable media actually used to perform the distribution. The same applies regardless of the available medium. In addition, the various operations described herein may be combined, divided, reordered, inverted, altered, omitted, parallelized, and/or supplemented with other techniques known in the art, and thus the present invention may It will be understood that it is not limited to the sequence of operations.

Numerous variations and modifications to the refrigerator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific implementations discussed herein.

icemaking console

As now shown in Figures 3 and 4, some embodiments in accordance with the present invention, as described above, relate to the use of an ice-making console that is located partially within the fresh food compartment and extends only a fraction of the height of the fresh food compartment. In particular, the ice-making console 70 may be disposed in the fresh food compartment 14, and extends upward from the bottom wall 72 of the fresh food compartment 14 by only a portion of the height H of the fresh food compartment, It is spaced apart from each of the ceiling wall 74, the right side wall 76, and the left side wall 78 of a food room. The ice-making console 70 may include a front wall 82 , a ceiling wall 84 , a right wall 86 and a left wall 88 , and in some cases, at least a portion of the front wall 82 includes a door ( 18, 20) may be accessible from the outside even when closed. In some examples, for example, the front wall 82 defines a sealing surface 90 to which the gaskets 92 and 94 on the doors 18 and 20 can form a seal when the doors 18 and 20 are closed. may include

The console 70 may, in some cases, extend into the rear wall 96 of the fresh food compartment 14 , while in other cases, as shown in FIG. 4 , a separate housing 98 is attached to the rear wall It may protrude from 96 (eg, formed integrally with rear wall 96 or formed as a separate component fixed or otherwise attached to rear wall 96 ). Housing 98 may be used, for example, to provide space for evaporators and/or other cooling system components, control electronics, air ducts, or other suitable purposes.

Moreover, the walls 82 , 84 , 86 and 88 of the console 70 may be insulated (eg, via foam or other suitable insulation), such that the console 70 is an insulated console, thereby making the ice-making console The inner chamber of 70 can be maintained at a temperature lower than any point to make and store ice. In the illustrated embodiment, the console 70 is in fluid communication with the freezer compartment 16 through an opening 100 formed in the bottom wall 72 of the fresh food compartment 14, so that the console 70 is connected to the fresh food compartment ( Although physically disposed within the interior of 14 , the console 70 is insulated from the fresh food compartment and is in fluid communication with the freezer compartment 16 , effectively operating as an extension of the freezer compartment 16 . In other embodiments, the console 70 may be separate from the freezer compartment 16 , for example insulated from the freezer compartment 16 , and include a separate cooling system, such as a thermoelectric cooling system, or with the freezer compartment 16 . They may be separate but fluidly coupled through ducts or vents to receive cooling air that is circulated by the freezer cooling system.

It can also be understood that the console 70 is formed separately from the shell or liner used to form the fresh food compartment and/or the freezer compartment. However, in other embodiments, the console 70 may be formed integrally with the shell or liner of the fresh food compartment and/or the freezer compartment.

In some embodiments console 70 may also provide a convenient location for control panel 102 suitable for controlling various functions of refrigerator 10 . For example, control panel 102 may include displays, buttons, sliders, switches, and the like, and is used to perform various control actions, such as setting temperature setpoints, controlling ice and/or water functions, displaying alarms or warnings, and the like. can be used As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the ceiling wall 84 of the console 70 may be dual level to accommodate the control panel 102 , although in other embodiments a control panel is not used and the ceiling wall 84 is not used. ) may be a substantially constant height along its depth. .

In some examples console 70 may be a conventional ice-making console used for making, dispensing and/or storing ice. However, as will be more apparent below, console 70 may not be an ice-making console in some embodiments. However, in some embodiments, console 70 may be configured to receive one or more drawers or reservoirs, such as upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 . The upper ice reservoir 104 includes a front face 108 that insulates the console 70 from the external environment when the container is pushed into the console and forms the front face of the upper ice reservoir, and the lower ice reservoir 106 likewise does. and a front face 110 that insulates the console 70 from the external environment when the container is pushed into the console and forms the front face of the lower ice reservoir. Fronts 108 , 110 also receive at least a portion of an externally accessible ice and water dispenser, which is discussed in more detail below. In some embodiments, a single front face may be used, such that the upper and lower ice reservoirs may be coupled to the same front face.

However, in addition to ice-related functions, console 70 also provides many structural features associated with storing food within fresh food compartment 14 . For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the sidewalls 86 and 88 of the console 70 face the sidewalls 76 and 78 of the fresh food compartment 14 , respectively, and include one or more sliding storage elements (eg, , provides structural support for the storage elements 112 , 114 , 116 , 118 , 120 , 122 within the fresh food compartment 14 . A storage element in the context of the present disclosure may include any structural member capable of storing or otherwise supporting a food item, such as a shelf, basket, bin, drawer, rack, etc., and a sliding storage element may include, for example, It may be considered a storage element that is slidable in a horizontal plane, along a generally horizontal axis extending from the rear to the front of the refrigerator 10 .

Storage elements 112 , 118 are, for example, sliding shelves, and storage elements 114 , 116 , 120 , 122 are sliding bins or drawers. It will be appreciated that the bins or drawers may be configured with adjustable environmental conditions (eg, different temperatures, humidity levels, etc.) suitable for storing food products such as meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits, and the like. Furthermore, not all storage elements 114 - 122 need to be constructed as sliding storage elements, and furthermore, different numbers and types of storage elements may be used for any of the storage elements shown in FIG. It is not limited to the particular combination of storage elements exemplified herein.

Moreover, despite the fact that the storage elements 112 - 122 are disposed within the full width fresh food compartment 14 , the console 70 provides greater support for these storage elements, in some embodiments. Using a full extension slide rail 14 (eg, slide rails 124 , 126 for storage element 120 ) to support the sliding storage element in the It is desirable to be able to withdraw completely to the side, thereby providing better access to the back of the interior of the bin, drawer or basket, or even to the back of the shelf or rack. In this regard, the fully withdrawable slide rail in some embodiments is configured to withdraw at least substantially the entire depth of the sliding storage element, including overextension exceeding the total depth of the sliding storage element.

Likewise, with further reference to FIG. 6 , the console 70 is also located below a storage element positioned above the console, for example a pair of non-sliding shelves 130 , 132 (which may be sliding shelves in some embodiments). It can provide structural support for a full width shelf 128 on which it is deployed. It will be appreciated that in a conventional full width fresh food compartment, a full width shelf extending substantially between the side walls of the fresh food compartment tends to sag exceptionally, given the typical dimensions of such refrigerators. Moreover, configuring such shelves to slide would typically burden all the slide rails mounted on the sidewalls of the fresh food room, and adding a full pull-out function would cause even greater problems.

In the illustrated embodiment, in contrast, the ceiling wall 84 of the console 70 provides adequate support for the full width shelf 128 such that the full width shelf can span substantially the entire width of the fresh food compartment 14 . can provide 6 , for example, a pair of undermounted slide rails 134 , 136 (ie, substantially horizontally oriented slide rails) supports the full width shelf 128 and supports the lower extend along and are generally parallel to each other. Also, in some embodiments, slide rails 134 , 136 may be full draw slide rails that allow substantially full pull out of full width shelf 128 . Moreover, the slide rails 134 and 136 provide sufficient support to the full width shelf 128 to eliminate the need to support the shelf from the sidewalls 76 and 78 so that the shelf can be moved substantially between the sidewalls of the fresh food compartment. The end of the shelf need not necessarily contact or engage the sidewall itself when extended. Moreover, even if any additional storage elements are disposed below shelf 128 (eg, storage elements 112 , 118 ), console 70 generally provides for any storage disposed near either side of shelf 128 . Provides sufficient support so that it does not need to be supported by elements or other components.

Other ways of supporting the full width shelf 128 may be used in other embodiments, including various combinations of bottom-mounted, top-mounted or side-mounted slide rails, glides (i.e., low friction tracks or surfaces), and the like. . For example, FIG. 7 shows an alternative full-width shelf supported by a console 142 using a single full draw undermount slide rail 144 and a pair of undermount glides 146 and 148 extending parallel thereto. (140) shows the plan view. 8 shows, as another example, an alternative full-width shelf supported by console 152 using a pair of sidewall mounted full draw slide rails 154, 156 and a pair of undermounted glide 158, 159. 150) is shown. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, other combinations of components may be used to slidingly support the full width shelf in other embodiments having the benefit of the present invention.

As described above, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. 1 and 3-6, the console 70 extends upward from the bottom wall of the fresh food compartment of the bottom-mounted refrigerator by only a portion of the height of the fresh food compartment, and also without opening any door. Additional support for an externally accessible ice and water dispenser with access to the fresh food compartment or freezer. However, in other embodiments, various modifications may be used.

As shown in FIG. 9 , for example, the ice-making console may extend downward rather than upward in some embodiments. This figure shows a top mount freezer 162 positioned higher from the fresh food compartment 166 covered by a single freezer door 164 and covered by a pair of French doors 168 and 170 . In this design, the ice-making console 172 may extend downward from a dividing wall 174 that serves as a ceiling wall for the fresh food compartment and separates the fresh food compartment 166 from the freezer compartment 162 . However, since the ice-making console 172 extends only a portion of the height of the fresh food compartment 166, it is separated from the end wall 176 and the side walls 178 and 180 of the fresh food compartment. French doors 168 , 170 also have cutouts that allow console 172 to be accessed from the outside without opening either door 164 , 168 , and 170 .

As shown in FIG. 10 , the ice-making console may in some embodiments be inaccessible from the outside and may be covered by one or more of the fresh food and/or freezer doors. This figure shows a bottom-mounted refrigerator 182 including a fresh food compartment 184 at a height higher than the freezer compartment 186, each compartment 184, 186 having a pair of French doors 188, 190 and 192, 194). The ice-making console 196 extends upwardly from the dividing wall 198 separating the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment, however, the console 196 has cutouts in any of the doors so that it is only accessible by opening one or more doors 188-194. not provided

11 , the ice making console may extend not only to the fresh food compartment but also to the freezer compartment. For example, it can help to place the ice and water dispenser at a more convenient height. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11 , the bottom-mounted refrigerator 200 may include a fresh food compartment 202 at a higher height than the freezing compartment 204 , and each compartment 202 , 204 is a pair of French covered by doors 206 and 208 and 210 and 212 . An ice-making console 214 extends upwardly from a dividing wall 216 that separates the fresh food compartment and the freezer compartment. The dividing wall 216 functions as both a floor wall of the fresh food compartment 202 and a ceiling wall of the freezer compartment 204 , and in this embodiment, the console 214 extends upwardly as well as from the dividing wall 216 . It extends downward as part of the freezer height. Also, at least a portion of the console (and ice and/or water dispensers, if included) is disposed below the lower edge of the fresh food compartment doors 206 , 208 . Also in this embodiment, a cutout is provided on each door 206 , 208 , 210 , 212 .

Other variations will be understood by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the particular console design described herein.

ice making system

Here, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 , some embodiments of the present invention may include an ice making system including a pair of tandem ice reservoirs and a detachable dispenser recess according to the present invention. The ice making system may include an ice maker 220 disposed within the cabinet 12 , particularly within the ice making console 70 , for example near the top of the ice making console. The produced ice is discharged from the front end 222 of the ice maker 220 and falls into the middle region of the upper ice maker bin 104, which is disposed below the ice maker 220 and is configured to receive the ice produced by the ice maker. It will be appreciated that a variety of ice maker designs may alternatively be used, including ice makers capable of producing different shapes and/or quantities of ice, rotating ice makers to deliver ice to bins, and the like. Also, while ice maker 220 extends generally from front to back within console 70 , in other embodiments ice maker 220 may extend in a transverse direction (ie, side to side). Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific ice maker design illustrated herein.

The upper ice reservoir 104 also includes a reversible ice mover 224 . The ice mover 224 may be driven by a motor 226 or other drive and, in the illustrated embodiment, is external to the upper ice reservoir 104 and is detachably and mechanically coupled to the ice mover 224; When the upper ice reservoir 104 is in the actuated position it drives the ice mover 224 in two opposite directions, but disengages from the upper ice reservoir when the upper ice reservoir is slid out of the console 70 . In other embodiments, the ice mover drive may be integrated into the upper ice reservoir 104 itself, and may be separate from the refrigerator 10 along with the upper ice reservoir.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ice mover 224 may be configured as an auger. However, in other embodiments, the ice mover 224 may be configured as a conveyor, paddle, or other suitable component. Also, although an ice crusher is not specifically shown in the figures, it will be appreciated that various types of ice crusher configurations may be used and may provide for selective crushing of the ice dispensed by the ice making system.

As noted above, the ice mover 224 is reversible and in this regard can be operated to push ice disposed in the upper ice reservoir 104 in two opposite directions. In a first direction (forward direction), the ice mover 224 pushes the ice towards the ice dispenser 228, which in the illustrated embodiment the front 108, 110 of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 in the illustrated embodiment. Each includes a portion disposed on it. Specifically, the ice mover 224 may be configured to push the ice toward the front of the refrigerator 10 and toward the ice chute 230 disposed on the front 108 of the upper ice reservoir. The ice (cube or crushed state) then falls through the ice chute into a container located in the dispenser recess 232 formed on the front side 110 of the lower ice reservoir 106 . In some embodiments, a flap 234 or other closure may also be provided near the ice chute 230 to provide some insulation to the ice chute and reduce heat loss from the ice-making console 70 .

In a second direction (rear direction), the ice mover 224 moves the ice away from the ice dispenser 228 , at an end opposite the ice dispenser 228 toward a rearwardly disposed opening 236 formed in the upper ice reservoir. By pushing the ice, the ice pushed into the opening 236 falls into the lower ice reservoir 106 disposed below the upper ice reservoir 104 . Although the opening 236 is shown formed in the bottom wall of the upper ice reservoir 104 , the opening 236 may alternatively be disposed, for example, on the end or sidewall of the upper ice reservoir 104 . Also, although opening 236 is shown always open, in other embodiments a movable closure element, such as a hinged or sliding trap door, may be used, for example, the upper ice reservoir 104 may be Opening 236 can be closed when disconnected from ice-making console 70 . For example, in some embodiments, the opening is normally closed but may open when the ice mover 224 pushes the ice in the second direction (rear direction).

12-14 the lower ice reservoir 106 includes an ice bucket 238 fixed or otherwise connected to the front side 110 . However, in other embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 15 , a lower ice reservoir (eg, lower ice reservoir 106 ′) is mounted on a base 240 fixed or otherwise connected to the front face 110 ′. It may include a removable ice bucket 238' that is mounted on it. In some embodiments, the ice bucket may include one or more handles that facilitate carrying the ice bucket when loaded with ice, such as handle 242 of ice bucket 238 ′. The ice bucket 238 ′ may be removed, for example, by first sliding the lower ice reservoir 106 ′ out of the ice making console 70 , and then lifting the ice bucket from the lower ice reservoir to separate it.

12-14 , and with particular reference to FIG. 14 , in this illustrated embodiment, both the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 are detachable from the ice making console 70 . In some embodiments, both the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 are completely detachable, while in other embodiments, one or both of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 may be stored in ice, for example. In order to provide access to the ice-making console 70, it may not be completely detachable but only partially detachable. Also, as mentioned above, two ice reservoirs can share the same front surface and can be separated together. Also, in some embodiments, stops, tabs, or latches (eg, stops 244 for upper ice reservoir 104 ) may include upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 is provided in one or both of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 to allow at most a predetermined number of withdrawals from the ice-making console 70, but then the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 ) is allowed to be fully withdrawn after actuation of this stop.

In one exemplary embodiment, for example, the lower ice reservoir 106 may be used as a primary ice reservoir from which the user may obtain ice when a large amount of ice is needed by the user. The lower ice reservoir 106 lacks a stop so that it can be easily removed from the ice making console 70 even when the doors 18 , 20 , 22 and 24 are all closed. In contrast, the upper ice reservoir 104 may be used primarily to hold ice for dispensing purposes and thus may not be frequently removed from the ice making console 70 by a user. However, the upper ice reservoir also provides access to the ice mover 224 and ice maker 220, so that when there are obstructions or other problems that may prevent the creation, distribution and/or storage of ice, the user may The upper ice reservoir can be detached to remove the ice. In this regard, the upper ice reservoir 104 is not completely detached by the user in most circumstances, but when, for example, for use by service personnel or when wide access to the upper area of the ice-making console is needed or desired. , still completely detachable through the operation of the stopper 244 .

Each of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 may be configured to slidably disengage from the ice-making console 70 with or without the use of slide rails or other track guides. 12-14 , for example, the upper ice reservoir 104 has no track guide, and the lower ice reservoir 106 slides along the slide rails 246 , 248 . In other embodiments, other configurations may be used, and further, in other embodiments, for example, through rotation or a combination of linear and rotational motions, and through openings in other walls of the ice-making console, the ice reservoir is provided to the ice-making console 70 . ) can be mounted for different relative motions.

Also, as discussed above, in some embodiments housing 98 is provided within a fresh food compartment, for example, for control electronics for fresh food, a freezer or other evaporator, fan, compressor, or other cooling system component, or Provides additional space for other purposes. The interior of housing 98 may be insulated with, or in fluid communication with, the fresh food compartment through vents in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the housing 98 may be omitted and the console 70 may extend to the rear wall 96 . In some embodiments, and as shown in dashed line in FIG. 12 , an evaporator 250 for fresh food compartment 14 may be disposed within housing 98 . It may also be desirable in some embodiments to route one or more cooling tubes 252 to the ice maker 220 to provide direct cooling of the ice maker using a fresh food evaporator. A cooling tube 252 may extend through an interior wall 254 of the console 70 that insulates the console 70 from the housing 98 . In an embodiment in which the housing 98 is omitted, the evaporator may be disposed within the console 70 rather than behind the console 70 as in the case of FIG. 12 . Placing the fresh food evaporator 250 in or behind the console 70 creates additional space in the rear wall of the fresh food compartment, so that the fresh food compartment is deeper than it would otherwise have been if the evaporator had been spread across the back of the cabinet. and thus the capacity of the refrigerator 10 is increased.

With particular reference to FIG. 13 , the refrigerator 10 includes an ice and water distribution function. In this regard, at least a portion of the ice dispenser 228 is defined by the front surfaces 108 , 110 of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 , the front surface 108 being the ice chute 230 and flaps 234 . and the front side 110 accommodates the dispenser recess 232 . The dispenser recess 232 is concave with respect to the ice chute 230 so that a container (eg, a cup, glass, bowl, bucket, cooler, etc.) disposed in the dispenser recess 232 is provided with the ice chute 230 . ) and receive the ice discharged from the ice dispenser 228 . The dispenser recess may also include one or more ice dispenser controls 256 for actuating the ice dispenser 228 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 , for example, a single ice dispenser control 256 configured as a paddle may be used in the dispenser recess 232 , which may be pressed by the user's finger or the paddle into the container. It can be operated by In some cases separate controls or settings may be used to select between cube ice and crushed ice, and in other cases two paddles or other controls may be used to dispense cube and crushed ice separately.

In addition to the ice dispenser 228 , the refrigerator 10 also includes a water dispenser 258 disposed on the ice-making console 70 . Like ice dispenser 228 , water dispenser 258 is accessible from the outside when doors 18 , 20 , 22 and 24 are closed. However, unlike the ice dispenser 228 , the water dispenser 258 is cantilevered in a fixed position at the ice-making console 70 , for example, with a profile that matches the front side 108 of the upper ice reservoir 104 . It is disposed on the extension 260 . The water dispenser 258 includes an outlet 262 connected to the supply line 264 and further includes a valve (not shown) to control the water supply to the outlet 262 . For example, a water dispenser control 266 , such as a paddle or button, may be disposed below the outlet 262 , for example on the front 108 of the upper ice reservoir 104 , and pressurized by a user's finger. may be used to selectively actuate the water dispenser 258 , either through the actuation or forcing the control against the edge of the container.

By providing at least a water supply and outlet of the water dispenser 258 on a fixed component of the refrigerator 10 , a detachable connection or flexible hose is required to support the relative movement of the water dispenser with respect to the ice-making console 70 . won't do it Also, since at least the outlet 262 of the water dispenser 258 is separate from the ice dispenser 228 , the ice reservoirs 104 , 106 are easily removable without concern for water supply to the water dispenser 258 .

However, it will be appreciated that other dispenser configurations may be used in other embodiments. In some embodiments, for example, ice and water may be dispensed from the same dispenser recess, in some instances using the same control (eg, ice, water and in some cases using separate dispenser mode switches). can choose between crushed ice). Also, in other embodiments, different dispenser controls in various combinations, such as buttons, paddles, proximity sensors, mode switches, etc., may be used. Also, in other embodiments, the various components of the ice and/or water dispenser may be disposed on removable or fixed components in the refrigerator 10 . Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations disclosed herein.

Also, when controllers 256 and 266 are disposed on removable components (upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106), in some embodiments, either upper or lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 is activated. In response to moving away from position, it may be desirable to include dispenser shut-off circuitry for one or both of the ice dispenser 228 and the water dispenser 258 . In some embodiments, for example, the dispenser disconnect circuitry is one or more switches that disconnect the controls 256 , 266 from the controller 40 when the upper and/or lower ice reservoir 104 is moved away from the actuated position. (eg, contact switches, magnetic switches, etc.).

12 and 14, for example, a contact switch 270 may be disposed on the front of the ice-making console 70 so that when the upper ice reservoir 104 is pushed back into the actuated position, the upper ice reservoir ( A contact pad 272 disposed on the back-facing surface of the front side 108 of the 104 may be in contact. Similarly, the second contact switch 274 is disposed on the front of the ice-making console 70 such that the rear-facing surface of the front 110 of the lower ice reservoir 106 is pushed into the operating position when the lower ice reservoir 106 is pushed into the operating position. may be in contact with the contact pad 276 .

The controller 40 may be configured to deactivate the ice and/or water dispensers 228 , 258 whenever one or both of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 are pulled out of the ice making console 70 . For example, in some cases, it may be desirable to deactivate both dispensers in response to the ice reservoirs 104 , 106 being out of an operating position.

In some embodiments, the control signal generated by the control unit 256 , 266 may be transmitted through the contact switch 270 , 274 and the contact pad 272 , 276 . In other embodiments, separate electrical contacts or wires may be used to convey control signals. Further, although the contact switch is shown positioned on a surface generally transverse to the sliding axis of the ice reservoirs 104 , 106 , in other embodiments, the contact switch is disposed on a surface generally parallel to the sliding axis, or in an actuated position, the ice It may be disposed in another location suitable for detecting the presence of a reservoir. Also, while electrical contact switches are shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 , other types of switches may be used in other embodiments, such as magnetic switches, mechanical switches, optical switches, and the like. Also, while in the illustrated embodiment the controls 256 and 266 include an electrical switch that closes in actuation, in other embodiments the electrical switch may be disposed on the ice-making console and provide a mechanical linkage to the respective controls 256 and 266. ) is connected and depresses the electrical switch only when the ice reservoirs 104 and 106 are in the operating position. With the benefit of the present disclosure, when one or both of the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104, 106 are removed, the controls 256, 266 are coupled to the controller 40 and/or the ice and/or water dispenser. Other ways of disabling (228, 258) will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Control of ice making with ice maker 220 may be based, in part, on ice levels sensed in upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 and 106, respectively. In some embodiments, for example, upper level sensor 280 and lower level sensor 282 may be configured to sense the level of ice in upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 respectively. Level sensors 280 and 282 may be configured as optical or photoelectric sensors, although other sensors may be used, such as, for example, a weight sensor, or an array of sensors capable of sensing ice level at multiple locations within each ice reservoir. can

As shown in FIG. 16 , the controller 40 may implement a series of operations 300 for generating ice and storing the ice in the upper and lower ice reservoirs 104 , 106 . Beginning at block 302, an ice-making operation using any of a variety of known ice-making techniques may be initiated. Block 304 may determine whether the ice maker is ready to dispense ice, if not, at a next interval before returning control to block 304 to double check if the ice maker is ready to dispense ice. Control moves to block 306 where it waits for a while.

When the ice making process is complete and the ice maker is ready to dispense ice, block 304 passes control to block 308 to determine (eg, from sensor 280 ) whether the upper reservoir is full. do. Otherwise, control proceeds to block 310 to actuate the ice mover 224 forward by a predetermined amount to push the ice forward toward the dispenser 228 . By pushing the ice forward, the ice can be placed near the dispenser 228 and reduce the amount of time the ice mover 224 must be activated before the ice is dispensed to the user. Control then moves to block 312 to drain the ice to drop ice into the upper ice reservoir 104 . Control then returns to block 302 to initiate another ice-making operation.

Returning to block 308 , if it is determined that the upper reservoir is full, block 308 proceeds to block 314 (eg, using sensor 282 ) to determine whether the lower ice reservoir is full. ) to transfer control. If so, control returns to block 304 and waits until the upper reservoir is no longer full (eg, after the user has dispensed ice using the ice dispenser). This keeps the ice produced in the ice maker until there is enough space in the upper ice reservoir and no additional ice is produced.

Returning to block 314 , if it is determined that the lower reservoir is not full, block 314 is configured to push the ice in an opposite rearward direction by a predetermined amount such that at least some of the ice falls on the lower ice reservoir 106 . It passes control to a block 316 to actuate the ice mover 224 . Block 318 then determines whether the upper reservoir is still full, and if so, returns control to block 316 to continue pushing ice back and so from the upper ice reservoir to the lower ice reservoir. When the upper ice reservoir is no longer full, block 318 passes control to block 312 to drain the ice, then proceeds to block 302 to initiate another ice-making operation.

The invention is not limited to the specific ice production management disclosed herein, as other ways of managing ice production with the benefit of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It will be understood that various additional modifications may be made to the embodiments discussed herein, and that many of the concepts disclosed herein may be used in combination with one another or may be used individually. For example, the ice-making console according to the present invention may be used in connection with other ice-making systems in another embodiment. Conversely, in the ice-making system according to the present invention, a refrigerator and/or an ice-making system without an ice-making console are provided in a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment. Or it can be used in other refrigerator designs, including refrigerators that are at least partially placed somewhere on the door of the refrigerator. Also, an ice-making system according to the present invention may in some embodiments include a tandem ice reservoir without a detachable dispenser recess, or alternatively a detachable dispenser recess without a tandem ice reservoir may be included. Accordingly, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

Claims (35)

As a refrigerator,
cabinet;
an ice maker disposed within the cabinet;
a first reservoir disposed below the ice machine and configured to receive ice produced by the ice machine;
a reversible ice mover disposed within the first reservoir and operable to move ice in a first direction and a second direction within the first reservoir;
an ice dispenser configured to dispense ice disposed within the first reservoir, the ice dispenser configured to receive ice moved in the first direction by the reversible ice mover; and
a second reservoir disposed under the first reservoir and configured to receive ice that is in the first reservoir and is moved in a second direction by the reversible ice mover
including,
the refrigerator further comprising a controller coupled to the reversible ice mover and a first level sensor configured to sense a level of ice in the first reservoir;
the ice maker is positioned to drop ice into an intermediate region of the first reservoir;
The controller is:
When the first level sensor detects that the first reservoir is not full, the reversible ice mover is operated to move the ice that has fallen into the middle region of the first reservoir in a first direction toward the ice dispenser, ;
When the full state of the first reservoir is detected by the first level sensor, the reversible ice mover is operated to move the ice in the first reservoir toward the second reservoir in a second direction;
the ice maker extends from front to back in the cabinet, and the ice dispenser is disposed in front of the refrigerator;
wherein the reversible ice mover moves in a forward direction when moving ice to the ice dispenser, and moves in a rearward direction when moving ice to the second reservoir;
Refrigerator. According to claim 1,
The reversible ice mover comprises an auger or a conveyor. According to claim 1,
The first reservoir includes an opening disposed close to an end opposite the first reservoir from the ice dispenser so that the ice moved in the second direction by the reversible ice mover falls into the second reservoir. 4. The method of claim 3,
The opening is disposed in a bottom wall, a side wall or an end wall of the first storage bin, the refrigerator. According to claim 1,
The first and second storage bins are detachable, refrigerator. 6. The method of claim 5,
The second storage container may include an ice bucket disposed in the second storage container and detachable from the second storage container. 7. The method of claim 6,
wherein the ice bucket includes at least one handle. 6. The method of claim 5,
The first and second storage bins are removable in a sliding manner, a refrigerator. 9. The method of claim 8,
The refrigerator further comprises at least one stop configured to limit separation of the first reservoir beyond the stop position,
and the first reservoir is configured to provide unobstructed access to the ice maker and the reversible ice mover. According to claim 1,
and a second level sensor configured to sense a level of ice in the second reservoir, wherein the controller has the first and second level sensors to detect the full state of the first and second reservoirs. and the refrigerator is configured to suppress discharge of ice by the ice maker. According to claim 1,
a freezer compartment disposed in the cabinet;
a fresh food compartment disposed above the freezing compartment in the cabinet, the fresh food compartment having a ceiling wall, a bottom wall, and first and second side walls, the bottom wall separating the fresh food compartment from the freezing compartment; and
An ice-making console extending upward from the bottom wall of the fresh food compartment by only a portion of the height of the fresh food compartment and spaced apart from each of a ceiling wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, the ice-making console forming the inner chamber of the ice-making console at least one wall insulating from the fresh food room;
including,
and the ice machine, the first reservoir, the second reservoir and the reversible ice mover are disposed within the ice-making console. 12. The method of claim 11,
and the ice dispenser is disposed in front of the ice-making console. 13. The method of claim 12,
The refrigerator, wherein a first portion of the ice dispenser is disposed on a front side of the first reservoir, and a second portion of the ice dispenser is disposed on a front side of the second reservoir. 14. The method of claim 13,
The refrigerator further comprising a dispenser control unit disposed on the front of the second storage container. 15. The method of claim 14,
and a dispenser disconnect circuit configured to deactivate the ice dispenser in response to movement of the second reservoir away from the actuated position. 16. The method of claim 15,
The refrigerator further includes a controller and a user control unit that operates the ice dispenser, and the dispenser shut-off circuit includes at least one switch that disconnects the user control unit from the controller when the second reservoir moves away from the operating position. Refrigerator. 17. The method of claim 16,
The switch is a contact switch or a magnetic switch. in the refrigerator,
a cabinet comprising one or more food compartments;
one or more doors coupled to the cabinet and configured to provide access to the one or more food compartments;
an ice maker disposed within the cabinet;
a first reservoir disposed below the ice machine and configured to receive ice produced by the ice machine;
a reversible ice mover disposed within the first reservoir and operable to move ice in a first direction and a second direction within the first reservoir;
an externally accessible ice dispenser configured to dispense ice produced by the ice maker when the one or more doors are closed; and
a second reservoir disposed below the first reservoir and configured to receive ice that is in the first reservoir and is moved in a second direction by the reversible ice mover
including,
The externally accessible ice dispenser includes a dispenser recess configured to receive a container, ice is dispensed into the container, and the dispenser recess is detachable within the cabinet to be disengaged from the cabinet when the one or more doors are closed. installed where possible,
the refrigerator further comprising a controller coupled to the reversible ice mover and a first level sensor configured to sense a level of ice in the first reservoir;
the ice maker is positioned to drop ice into an intermediate region of the first reservoir;
The controller is:
When the first level sensor detects that the first reservoir is not full, the reversible ice mover is operated to move the ice that has fallen to the middle region of the first reservoir in a first direction toward the ice dispenser, ;
When the full state of the first reservoir is detected by the first level sensor, the reversible ice mover is operated to move the ice in the first reservoir toward the second reservoir in a second direction;
the ice maker extends from front to back in the cabinet, and the ice dispenser is disposed in front of the refrigerator;
wherein the reversible ice mover moves in a forward direction when moving ice to the ice dispenser, and moves in a rearward direction when moving ice to the second reservoir;
Refrigerator. 19. The method of claim 18,
and the dispenser recess is slidably mounted in the cabinet. 19. The method of claim 18,
and an externally accessible water dispenser coupled to the water supply and arranged to dispense water through the outlet and into a container located below the outlet when the one or more doors are closed. 21. The method of claim 20,
the outlet of the externally accessible water dispenser is fixedly mounted to the cabinet such that the outlet of the externally accessible water dispenser is maintained in a fixed position of the cabinet when the dispenser recess is separated from the cabinet; . 22. The method of claim 21,
The refrigerator, wherein the externally accessible water dispenser includes a user control configured to operate the externally accessible water dispenser. 23. The method of claim 22,
The user control unit of the externally accessible water dispenser is detachably mounted in the cabinet. 19. The method of claim 18,
The refrigerator, wherein the externally accessible ice dispenser includes a user controller configured to operate the externally accessible ice dispenser. 25. The method of claim 24,
and a user control unit of the externally accessible ice dispenser is mounted to the dispenser recess and detachable from the cabinet together with the dispenser recess. 25. The method of claim 24,
The user control unit comprising a paddle (paddle), refrigerator. 25. The method of claim 24,
and a dispenser blocking circuit configured to deactivate the externally accessible ice dispenser in response to the disengagement of the dispenser recess from the cabinet. 28. The method of claim 27,
wherein the dispenser disconnect circuit includes at least one contact switch that disconnects the user control from the controller when the dispenser recess is disconnected from the cabinet. 19. The method of claim 18,
a reservoir disposed below the ice machine and configured to receive ice produced by the ice machine;
The dispenser recess portion is coupled to the storage container, and when the dispenser recess portion is separated from the cabinet, the storage container is additionally separated from the cabinet. 30. The method of claim 29,
The storage bin is a second storage bin, and the refrigerator includes:
a first reservoir disposed above the second reservoir and below the ice machine to receive ice produced by the ice maker;
an ice chute disposed over the dispenser recess; and
an ice mover disposed within the first reservoir and operable to move ice in the first reservoir to the ice chute when dispensing ice
Further comprising, a refrigerator. 31. The method of claim 30,
the ice mover is reversibly operable to move ice in first and second directions within the first reservoir, wherein movement of the ice mover in the first direction moves the ice into the ice chute; The movement of the ice mover in the second direction drops the ice from the first reservoir to the second reservoir. 32. The method of claim 31,
and the first storage bin is slidably mounted within the cabinet to be withdrawn from the cabinet when one or more doors are closed. 19. The method of claim 18,
The at least one food compartment includes a freezer compartment and a fresh food compartment, wherein the fresh food compartment is disposed above the freezer compartment in the cabinet and has a ceiling wall, a bottom wall, and first and second side walls, the bottom wall being the freezing compartment separating the fresh food compartment from
The refrigerator further includes an ice-making console extending upward from a bottom wall of the fresh food compartment by only a portion of a height of the fresh food compartment and spaced apart from each of the ceiling wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall, the ice-making console and at least one wall insulating an inner compartment of the ice-making console from the fresh food compartment, wherein the ice machine, the externally accessible ice dispenser and the dispenser recess are disposed within the ice-making console. delete delete

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